The Baltimore Ravens have had an impressive first two weeks of training camp, but Sunday was the first practice in front of fans at M&T Bank Stadium. Many players have fans raving about their potential contributions in 2025, but one playmaker is looking to return to his former glory.
Running back Keaton Mitchell was one of several standouts that day. The 23-year-old proved he is officially back, showcasing the electrifying speed that made him so dangerous in his rookie campaign back in 2023.
Mitchell’s speed, acceleration, and short-area agility were on full display. He turned a couple of what would have been short to moderate gains into splash plays. He found paydirt twice, sprinting down the sideline on a toss play that saw him juke and spin away from several defenders, and took a short reception to the house.
Still, it will be tough for Mitchell to see snaps. He is currently the team’s third running back, and it will be tough to leapfrog Justice Hill on the depth chart due to his efforts on passing downs, specifically his expertise as a pass blocker. However, the camp Mitchell is having could see him quickly earn more snaps, especially if he keeps it up.
Camp buzz is building fast around Keaton Mitchell
Mitchell was the story of 2023. The moment he was given a key role in the offense, he took over. On 47 carries, the former East Carolina star rushed for 396 yards and two touchdowns. He posted an otherworldly 8.4 yards per attempt and looked to be the future star back in the Ravens’ backfield.
Unfortunately, a significant injury against the Jacksonville Jaguars knocked him out for the rest of the season. The road back was a painful one, and it even affected his play last year. After a recent interview, though, the injury was scarier than anyone could have ever imagined.
Mitchell sat down with Baltimore Ravens reporters Ryan Mink and Garrett Downing on an episode of The Lounge Podcast and outlined his road back to the gridiron and his outlook for the 2025 season. He highlighted the injury that took a toll on him over the past year and revealed information that many never knew. Mitchell said:
“Career-ending. Everybody thinks it was just the ACL. It was my ACL, PCL, LCL, hamstring.”
Hearing that makes Mitchell’s play this camp that much more impressive. It makes sense that his late return in 2024 was underwhelming, only accounting for 30 rushing yards on 15 carries.
Back then, the speed was lackluster. He had little to no burst, but after Sunday’s practice, all of those traits have returned. He may be even faster than he was in his rookie year. It should make for a big year for him, as he looks to take on kick return duties, and should still be a critical piece in the NFL’s best running back trio.